Friction-clutch.



n45 NORRIS PETERS co.. WASHINGTON. n. c.

ANTHONY L. HERKENHOFF, OF MINSTER, OHIO.

FRICTION- CLUTCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 3, 1908.

Application filed October 14. 1907- Serial No. 397.259.

To all whom it may concern:

now, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Minster, in the county of Auglaize and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Friction-Clutches; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to friction-clutches of the class employing a s lit brake-ring, and particularly to such app iances as are adapted for use upon gas engines, but is not restricted to such use.

The object of my invention is the provision of a simple, and highly efficient clutch of this class which is capable of being easily and quickly removed from one pulley and put onanother, thus making different sized pulleys interchangeable on a clutch, so that a change of pulley will only be required to obtain a change of s eed from the engine or associated drive sha t.

Another object of my invention is to so mount the clutch-ring segments that the centrifugal force thereon when the clutch is thrown out of engagement will throw them away from the friction drum or coacting clutch part, thus enhancing the practicability and commercial value of the clutch and reducing the frictional resistance and wear between the clutch parts to a minimum.

The operation, construction and arran ement of the parts of the invention are fully described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a central section of the clutch mechanism embodying my invention with its pulley taken on the line m it in Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereon with a portion in section, and Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line y y in Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the projecting end of adrive-shaft, and 2 a sleeve, which is keyed to the shaft and loosely carries the pulley 3. At one end of the sleeve2 is formed a hub or brake-wheel 4, which isfashioned to encircle the contiguous hub end of the pulley and carries the coacting ring segments 5, 5 forming the split clutch-band of the mechanism. The contiguous ends of the two ring segments 5, 5 are connected by right and left-hand threaded pins 6; each of which has an arm 7 rigidly projecting there from between opposed sets of spokes 8 of the pulley, as shown, thus adapting an oscillation of said arms to effect a turning of the pins 6 to loosen or tighten the segments 5, 5 relative to the clutch-wheel or hub 4. The ends of the arms 7 and pulley hub are connected by radially disposed sets of togglearms 9, as shown, each of which sets of toggle-arms is in turn connected by a link 9 to a shipper member 10, which is shown as comprising a hand-wheel that is slidingly carried at the end of the sleeve 2 opposed to the brake-wheel.

Secured to the two opposing spokes S of the pulley without the segments 5, 5 and standing in the plane of radial movement thereof are the blocks 11, 11, eachof which carries a drive pin 12, the inner end of which projects loosely within a socketed portion 13 provided centrally of the contiguous segment, as shown. The pins 12 are secured in their respective blocks by set-screws 14, or in any other suitable or convenient manner. l/Vhile the blocks 11 may be secured to the spokes in any suitable manner, they are preferably, for convenience of removal, each secured by a single stud-bolt 15, which projects from the block through an opening in the spoke and carries the nuts 16 at its outer end, and is prevented from turning relative to the spoke by a dowel-pin 17, as shown in Fig. 3. The blocks 11 are so positioned relative to the segments 5 as to enable the latter to play longitudinally on the pins 12 and be thrown outwardly under centrifugal force against the blocks and free from engagement with thebrake-wheel 4 when the clutch is in released position. This feature of my invention is a very important one in the practical and efiicient working of a clutch of this class, as it enables the sections of the splitrring when released to have free centrifugal movements relative to the brake-wheel to stand out of engagement therewith and also enables a pulley to be easily and quickly removed from the clutch and another substituted therefor by simply removing the nuts 16, holding the blocks 11 to the pulley spokes, and then withdrawing the pulley from the sleeve 2 after first disconnecting the toggles 9 from the lever 7 and pulley and removing the hand-wheel 10 for such purpose.

It is a parent in the operation of'my improved c utch that a shifting of the handwheel 10 to its inward position, as shown in Fig. 1, will turn the threaded pins 6 connecting" the ends-of the ring sections in the proper direction to contract such sections upon the brake-wheel 4, thus causing the pulley to be frictionally rotated with the brake-hub and shaft. Upon a release of the clutch the centrifugal force acting on the ring segmentscauses themto move outwardly on the'drive-pins 2 until they abut against the blocks ll, thus limiting the outward movement of the segments.

I wish it understood that I do not restrict the improved feature of my clutch to use in connection with any particular form of clutch operating mechanism; nor do I wish to limit myself to the exact details of construction and arrangement-of the parts of the invention shown and described, as obvious modificationsblock and loosely into the socket of the associated ring-section, said blocks being positioned to permit thering-sections, actuated by centrifugal force, to move radially out of engagement of the drive-member, and mechanism for effecting a contraction of the ring-sections upon the drive-member.

2. The combination with the drive-member, the split brake-ring coacting therewith,

and the driven-member of a friction clutch mechanism, of a part carried by the drivenmember in association with each ring-section and cooperating therewith to permit a limited centrifugal movement thereof when the brake-ring is released from the drivemember.

3. In combination in a friction-clutch, a

pulley, a brake-wheel, a split-ring cooper ating therewith and having its sections socketed, blocks removably secured to the pulley spokes and standing laterally thereof in the plane of radial movement of the ring sections, and a drive-pin carried by each block and projecting inwardly therefrom loosely within the socket of the associated ring-section, the expanding movements of the ring-sections being guided by the drivepins and limited by the blocks.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ANTHONY L. HERKENHOFF.

Witnesses:

-JOSEPH A. SOHMUECKER,

JULIUs DILLMAN. 

